


After the Chaos

by OhThatsViolet



Series: Obliterated King's Canyon [2]
Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Established Relationship, Graphic Description of Corpses, Grief, Hurt No Comfort, Loss, M/M, Major Character Injury, Set after the season 8 launch trailer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:41:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29042553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhThatsViolet/pseuds/OhThatsViolet
Summary: When Octavio hears the news about what happened in King's Canyon, he rushes to the arena to search for his lost fiancé.*This is an alternative version of my fic After the Ceremony*
Relationships: Mirage | Elliott Witt/Octane | Octavio Silva
Series: Obliterated King's Canyon [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2130855
Comments: 17
Kudos: 20





	After the Chaos

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Make sure you've read the tags. If this fic sounds like something that may trigger you in any way, then I ask you to take care of yourself and step away. 
> 
> Another note; this fic is an alternative version of my fic "After the Ceremony". Both of them share the same intro because of this. If you have read that fic and would like to skip the intro because you've already read it, scroll until you see the first line break. The new stuff starts from there.

Octavio stretched his arms over his head, his joints emitting a satisfying crack as he settled back into his desk chair. He'd spent the majority of the morning working on his latest video while everyone else had gone to the welcome ceremony for the newest Legend. Octavio had decided not to attend. He'd done some research online about the new guy and on paper, he was definitely the sort of person he would typically like. But there was something about him that didn't sit right with the runner. Maybe it was the fact that he had quite the big fan base back in the Fringe worlds for being a champion of some sport Octavio couldn't quite remember the name of. Though, during his searching online he'd seen rumors and whispers that their opinion on him had changed. Still, maybe he was a little jealous; not that he'd ever admit that to himself. He spun himself in a slow circle in his chair, wondering what he should do now. Curiosity was getting the better of him. If some new-blood was going to try and steal his thunder, he should at least know what he's going up against, right? He pulled himself back towards his desk with the intention of pulling up the ceremony's livestream, only to be met with a static feed. Odd. Maybe he'd missed it. Logging onto the Outlands TV news site definitely made him feel like he was missing something as various headlines and live updates flashed across his screen. 

_King's Canyon Destroyed in Devastating Attack._

_Lighting the Fuse? - Newest Apex Games Competitor Shakes King's Canyon on Arrival._

_Apex Legend Gibraltar Gives Insight into King's Canyon Explosion._

  
Octavio doesn’t think he’s ever run that fast without stim before. Debris and dust flew from beneath his feet as he tore down one of the ruined paths of King’s Canyon. He could hear sounds of distress in the distance so he knew he was headed in the right direction.   
“Che! Che!” he called out as he got closer, immediately grabbing the attention of the medic.   
“O! What are you doing here?!”   
The runner skidded to a halt in front of her.   
“What the hell happened here?!”  
“I’m not too sure,” Ajay responded. “Looks like someone isn’t too happy about our new arrival and decided the best way to get their message across was to blow up the canyon.”   
Octavio nodded, only half absorbing her words as his head whipped around, peering through the crowd.   
“Che...where is Elliott?”  
“I...I don’t know. He was with us before everything went to shit. He must’ve...taken a different route out.”  
“What if he’s still in there?!”   
“I’m sure he’s fine, O. You don’t give him enough credit.”  
“You don’t know that!” Octavio huffed, reaching for her arm. “Come on. We need to go and look for him.”  
Ajay quickly adjusted herself to take hold of his arm instead, pulling him backwards.   
“It’s too dangerous. You haven't been out there! I have. Besides, security’s got the place on lock. They’re only letting folks out, not in.”   
“You think I care about security?” Octavio scoffed. “We’ll get past them.”   
“Silva...somethin’ real serious is going on here. It’s not the time for fooling around.”  
“You don’t think I know that?!” he replied, exasperated. “The real serious thing is my fiancé is probably stuck out there, and no one gives a damn!”   
“The med-team is on their way,” Ajay said, attempting to soothe the situation. “If he is out there, they’ll find him and he'll be in better hands than ours. Running out there and getting yourself hurt isn’t gonna help anyone.”  
“I don’t care!” Octavio spat, pulling his arm away. “You would have done this with me once.” 

He jogged his way towards the security barricade, ignoring Ajay’s calls. His initial plan was to just walk straight through, until a heavy hand came to fall on his shoulder and he turned to see a member of syndicate security glowering at him.   
“This area is sealed off. Civilians are not allowed to enter.”  
“Good thing I’m not a civilian then,” Octavio replied, flashing them a defiant grin. “I’m a Legend.”  
“Still, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”  
“You know there’s people still stuck out there, right?” Octavio persisted as he gestured to the devastation around them. “Why are you just standing around doing nothing?!”   
“An evacuation team is on the way. Anyone left behind or injured will be escorted out once they arrive,” the security guard continued, tugging harshly on his arm. “Again, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Stand-by and let the professionals do their jobs.”  
Octavio struggled against their grasp, moving quickly as he brought his heel down hard onto the security’s boot, causing them to yelp and relax their grip.   
“Evacuate this!” he yelled, using their moment of vulnerability to his advantage, having broken free of their hold and leaped over the barrier before they had a chance to compose themselves. 

If Octavio was honest, the damage caused was a lot worse than he was expecting which only made his anxiety about his missing partner worse.   
“Elliott!” he called out, as he made his way across the uneven terrain. “Elliott?! Are you out here?!”   
He caught sight of the large ship that had crashed into the canon; its size alone making him take a stunned step backwards.   
“Holy shit.”  
He kept moving, deciding to follow the path of ruin; if Elliott really was stuck out here his best bet was to look in the most destroyed areas. To his relief, it wasn’t long until he heard the sound of voices in the distance, despite it sounding more like arguing than a friendly conversation. He spotted Anita first; a face he was glad to see in a time like this.   
“Hey, chica! What are you doing out here?”   
The soldier turned to face him with a raised eyebrow.   
“I could ask you the same thing. Figures you’d show up the minute everything descends into chaos,” she said. “Didn’t feel right to head back before we knew everyone was out.”  
“You should tell that to Che.”   
“Have you seen Loba by any chance?”  
“Nope,” Octavio replied, with a shake of his head. “I...is Elliott with you?” 

* * *

He didn’t like the way Anita looked towards Ramya, whose presence he’d just noticed, and shrugged.   
“No. I thought he was with Ajay.”  
“I met her at the security barrier. He wasn’t there.”   
“Shit.”  
“I’m sure he’s knocking around here somewhere,” Ramya piped up. “Bloody idiot’s probably already back at the bar and having a pint without us.”   
“I don’t think he would go there without telling me first, amiga,” Octavio said with a shake of his head. “Especially after...something like this. He knows I’d look for him.”   
Anita let out a long breath, squared her shoulders and placed her hands on her hips, already trying to decide what the best course of action was.   
“Alright, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to keep stationed here. If Elliott or anyone else comes by at least we can direct them where to go. If not...then at least we’ll be here to help out the evac team.”  
“What? No! I’m not gonna stay here and wait!” Octavio protested, already beginning to walk away with little direction until the soldier took hold of his arm and pulled him back.   
“It’s the best thing to do, Silva. That’s an order,” she said firmly. “You go out there, we’re just going to be adding some else to our MIA list.”  
“Oh, whatever,” he replied, jerking his arm away before breaking into a sprint. “If you all want to sit around and be part of team ‘losers who sit around and do nothing’ that’s on you.”   
“Silva!” 

He ignored her calls as he took off across the ruined landscape, clouds of dust pooling around his feet as he did so. Elliott could be anywhere but something in his gut was telling him he was going in the right direction, luring him to where he needed to be like a gravitational pull. Something caught his attention and he wasn’t quite sure how he managed to spot the glint of orange in the middle of all the chaos. He made quick work of the few yards that lay between it and himself, stooping down and picking up the object with quivering fingers; Elliott’s goggles.   
He got back to his feet and draped the cracked goggles around his neck, looking around for inspiration as to where to go next.   
“I’ll find you. Even it takes all day. I won’t stop.”

Looking back now, part of him wished he had stopped. Part of him wished he’d listened to Anita and stayed. Part of him wished he had left it to the professionals and he could remember his lover the way he’d always known him and not as the broken frame in a bloodied jumpsuit, with bulging honey eyes. The lower portion of his body was trapped and devoured by the pieces of rock that had crumbled away from the cliffside. His lips were stained red as if fate hadn’t been cruel enough already and he had been given the opportunity to try and cough up his own blood before the last remnants of life were drained from him and he was left shattered and alone, barely unrecognisable.   
“This can’t...this isn’t real. This isn’t real. It’s...no. Elliott...amor. Are you...can you hear me?”

Octavio’s lungs still hurt from screaming when he fell to his knees beside him, realising his cries and pleas were wasted on a lover that would never hear them and a God who rarely wished to show him mercy.   
“Elliott...why? Why didn’t you...why didn’t you run with everyone else?!”   
Octavio’s fist found the dirt below them, scraping his knuckle on a piece of rogue rubble. His free hand came to comb through the trickster’s tangled curls, lowering his face until their foreheads touched. He touched their lips together, tainting his own with an unpleasant copper taste.  
“Why? You...you’re all I have. You promised we’d always have each other! That...that we were a family! You’re a liar! You lied!”  
His head fell against his partner’s still chest, his grip tightening into the fabric of his jumpsuit while his own chest heaved with an ear-shattering sob. 

He wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard his name being called again. He didn't even bother to look up when he heard Anita speaking to him. She kept talking as she came closer but he couldn't quite decipher what she was saying.   
"Octavio?"   
"I found him. I told you I would."   
She placed a firm hand on his shoulder and kneeled down next to him.   
"Yeah...I can see that."   
She paused for a moment before continuing.   
"The evac team is here. They'll look after him."   
Octavio nodded slowly.   
"I think his arm is...broken. M-maybe they'll have something to fix it."   
Anita sighed heavily, her grip on his shoulder tightening.   
"Maybe."   
She looked up momentarily before turning her attention back to him.   
"We should let them do their jobs, okay? Do you...want to say anything before we go?"   
The runner glanced towards the group of people in white overalls who were lingering nearby.   
"I...I'm not gonna leave him on his own."   
"Octavio...you're...you're not going to want to see what's under those rocks. Trust me on this one."   
He shook his head defiantly, his fingers digging into the quilting on Elliott's suit.   
"I can't leave him! He...he doesn't like strangers touching him! You know that!"   
"Silva. Look at me," Anita said, lowering her voice and tilting his face towards her's. "You need to trust me here.”  
“I don’t want to,” he told her, shaking his head again as hot tears began to flow onto his cheeks. “I don’t want him to go! Tell them I’ll pay them whatever they want! They’ll listen to you! I’ll give them anything, just get them to bring him back! Please!”   
Anita was taken by surprise when he quickly turned and buried his face into her shoulder but held him and patted his back reassuringly each time he howled, despite her own eyes beginning to sting.   
“It’s alright. I gotcha. It’s gonna be alright.”

* * *

"Is my best friend going to be okay? Where is he?"

Octavio wanted to punch Pathfinder for continuously asking that question while they waited at the security barrier while the various workers carried injured people out of the wreckage on stretchers to be treated, while the more unfortunate souls were laid to the side in dark body bags. Octavio wasn’t sure what felt worse; knowing Elliott was inside one of them, or not knowing which one he was in. Ramya had thrown up twice on the walk back and Octavio felt like he was coming close to joining her as a cocktail of emotions swirled around in his stomach. He hung his head, wondering when this nightmare would end and he would wake up in his lover’s arms once again. He’d yelled at Ajay when she came to comfort him. He’d told her that this was all her fault and if she’d followed him when he asked her to Elliott might have stood a chance. He’d given Makoa the same treatment when he tried to defuse the situation. He wanted to say he regretted it but he didn’t. He’d asked everyone to help him today and they all turned him down. In a way, he thought he had no one to blame for this but himself. He should have convinced them to look. He should have come to the ceremony with them. He should have been here to protect him. He shouldn’t have spent so long arguing with security. If he’d just been faster…

The only person he could blame for all of this was himself; until he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see the face of the man who’d really caused all of this; Fuse.   
“Hey...fella. Do you have a second?”   
Octavio wrinkled his nose, his fingers curling into a fist by his side.   
“What the fuck makes you think I’d want to talk to you?”  
The older man rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly.   
“Look, I...just wanted to say I’m sorry. This isn’t how this was supposed to go down. And I didn’t know him...and you were a thing until now. So-”  
“We aren’t a _thing_ ,” Octavio snarled. “He’s my fiancé.”   
“Alright. My bad. I didn’t know he was-”  
“ _Is_.”  
“Whatever. Look, mate. I feel awful about this whole thing. So, if you _really_ find someone to blame for all this...you can count me in.”  
“I want them to suffer,” Octavio spat, his fingernails digging into his palms. “I want them to be so fucked up...so _unrecognisable_ that they’ll _wish_ they were the one stuck under that rock instead of him.”   
“Yeah,” Fuse nodded, running a hand over his moustache. “Now, that’s the attitude I like to see.”  
“Alright then,” Octavio said coldly, reaching over to grab the pistol that was resting snuggly in Fuse’s holster before handing it to him. “Be that person.”   
Fuse scoffed, the corner of his lip curling when he realised what the runner was implying.   
“I have to say you have balls, kid,” he began, putting the gun back where it belonged. “But no can do. Sorry.”  
“Then I guess you can’t help me, and you can shove your apology up your ass,” Octavio said before turning away. “See you in the arena. _Mate_.” 

* * *

He’d never really realised how quiet the apartment was without Elliott’s presence until now. Octavio’s mind was wandering so much on the walk home that he’d almost expected to find his partner waiting for him when he arrived home. But there was no one there. No cheesy pop music playing on the radio. No show about rescue dogs finding their forever home, playing in the background on the TV. No prepared meal for them to share. No...nothing. No Elliott. 

Octavio removed the trickster’s goggles from around his neck and let them tumble to the floor before making his way towards Elliott’s desk. His fingers trailed unsteadily over the holo-panel control pad there and he pressed one of the buttons, creating a perfect copy of his partner in front of his eyes. He reached up to touch its cheek and despite the hologram smiling back at him, he realised it really was just a copy. A pre-programmed copy, who was programmed to smile and wave but it would never hold his hand or stroke his hair or whisper sweet nothings into his ear while they lay in bed at night. Octavio fell into the desk chair and buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably while agonised sobs wracked his body. 

Only the real Elliott could do all of those things; and he was never coming back. 


End file.
